About the Company:
Our company, based in the Chicagoland area, is a rapidly growing, venture-backed food and agriculture company that sustainably grows fresh, flavorful, nutrient dense microgreens.
Our goal is to become the leading grower and provider of fresh microgreens and related CPG products to supermarkets, food service companies, food manufacturers, and consumers, all while growing from $5M in sales to $75M by 2029.
We see ourselves as a first-of-kind microgreens foods company that not only grows and sells fresh microgreens but also productizes them into other products. In addition to our fresh microgreens, which are available throughout the Midwest,we have commercialized a microgreens-based powder that sells direct-to-consumer.
About the Role:
Reporting to the CEO, the Director of Sales establishes and exceeds customer acquisition and revenue growth objectives for the company’s fresh product lines. The person in this role is part of the company’s senior leadership team, participating in weekly KPI and strategy meetings and helping to execute the company’s high-level strategic plan. Responsibilities include developing and executing against key growth and sales strategies, managing monthly, quarterly and annual KPIs, and building long-lasting relationships that are profitable for the company and our customers.
What You’ll Do:
- Drive velocity with existing accounts;
- Develop and implement strategic sales plans to achieve company sales targets and objectives;
- Manage and leverage sales staff to identify and pursue new business opportunities to expand our customer base and increase market share;
- Effectively communicate the value proposition through proposals and presentations;
- Build and maintain strong, long-lasting relationships with key customers, including retailers, wholesalers, and distributors;
- Partner with our customers to understand their business needs and objectives;
- Lead, motivate, and mentor sales staff to drive performance and exceed sales goals;
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Marketing, Grow Operations, and Accounting, to ensure alignment and support for sales initiatives;
- Work with Marketing to develop promotional calendars for accounts;
- Identify issues that affect production schedules, budgets and overall strategic direction;
- Analyze sales data and market trends to identify opportunities for growth and optimization;
- Manage pricing and contract negotiations with customers to maximize profitability while maintaining competitiveness in the market;
- Collaborate with Horticulture on new product development;
- Along with Marketing, represent the company at industry events, trade shows, and conferences to promote our brand and develop new business opportunities;
- Oversee the company’s UPC management process;
- Ensure accurate coordination of packing, shipping and trucking;
- Remain up-to-date on industry developments, competitor activities, and regulatory changes affecting the fresh produce market;
- Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
What You Should Have:
- BS/BA/MS/MA/MBA in a relevant field;
- Significant successful experience in senior sales leadership roles within the food industry, with a focus on fresh produce, CPG or food service preferred;
- Solid experience with a high growth company;
- Proven track record of meeting and exceeding sales targets while driving revenue growth;
- Advanced leadership skills with the ability train, motivate and inspire a team;
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills;
- Ability to effectively synthesize and communicate sales data to a variety of audiences;
- Solid understanding of sales and marketing principles, techniques, and best practices;
- Finely tuned negotiation skills and an understanding of what it means to broker the best long-term deal for the company;
- Ability to analyze data and market trends to identify opportunities and drive decision-making;
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and HubSpot CRM or similar.
